| Check out more GW/CAN News and Events! | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country Updates | Events | GW/CAN Newsletter | Press Releases |
First Referral Received for Ghana!
We're VERY excited to announce that we received our very first referral yesterday for our Ghana program! The family's dossier was sent about a month ago! The referral is for a baby boy, less than one year old! We're all very excited for this family.
United Adoption, Children of All Nations' domestic program, is officially open!
It's official!
Children of All Nations' US private adoption program, United Adoption, is now officially up and running for birth parents and adoptive parents.
If you're experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, and want to know more about your options, be sure and read this information.
If you're considering adoption, and want to know more about our domestic program, click here for more information.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send an email!
National Adoption Month
November is National Adoption Month. Did you know there are over 107,000 children and youth in foster care in the United States alone? Did you know there are an estimated 145 million orphans worldwide?
Raising awareness about adoption, internationally AND domestically, is extremely important. Each one of these children longs for a mother's embrace. Each one of these children yearns to have a forever family and stability in their lives. Each little boy and girl want to know that their parents will be waiting for them when they come home each day. Each boy and girl wants to feel wanted and needed.
During the month of November, and for the other 11 months of the year, we encourage you to share your adoption story with others. Together, we are these children's most powerful advocates. Inspire other families to open their hearts and their homes to the idea of adoption. Every child deserves to have a forever family to call their own! We've included a few inspirational videos below. Please feel free to share with family and friends!
2011 Beyond Borders Conference Recap!
First of all, we'd like to thank everyone that attended this year's Beyond Borders Conference. It was another successful year, and the success of the conference would not have been possible without our great attendees, speakers, and vendors. We'd also like to thank our foreign guests for attending, and we hope each of our families got a chance to meet and talk with them. Below are a few photos from the event, as well as great feedback we received on our conference surveys. Enjoy, and we look forward to seeing you next year!
Session 1C: Talking to Your Child About Adoption
"It was great to speak with other adoption families and hear/share their experiences."
Keynote Speaker: Craig Juntunen
"Your lunch speaker [Craig Juntunen] had superb presentation skills."
GWCA/CAN CEO, Snow, with Attorney General of El Salvador's Adoption Authority, and Chinese Delegates and Dignitaries
"This was a very impressive conference and definitely worth coming back to again."
For more photos from the event, please visit our GWCA/CAN Facebook page!
Foreign Dignitaries from El Salvador and China Visit GWCA/CAN Headquarters as Part of our Beyond Borders Conference 2011!
16th CAN Program is officially open!
We're very excited to announce the opening of Poland, as our 16th CAN adoption program! For more information on the program, click here! We know this will be a great addition to our international adoption programs!
GWCA Ranked #1 by CCCWA for Placing Special Focus Children
The CCCWA released an announcement today, October 21, 2011, regarding their Special Focus program. They also ranked the top agencies for placing Special Focus children. Great Wall China Adoption has been ranked #1 by the CCCWA in placing Special Focus children for the past year! We are extremely honored to be recognized and we are so glad our dedication to these children has paid off! We would also like to thank our families, for opening their hearts and homes to these special children!
Recommendations for Administering Hepatitis A Vaccine to Contacts of Children Adopted Internationally
The American Academy of Pediatrics has released a new policy statement aimed at decreasing the possible spread of hepatitis A from young children adopted from endemic countries where children are not immunized against hepatitis A (as they are here in the U.S.). Most of these children are asymptomatic, that is, appear to be perfectly healthy, but can spread the virus to others, especially to those with whom they have frequent contact (close relatives, baby sitters, etc.). Some of these contacts have become seriously ill.
For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that all close contacts of newly adopted children from countries with endemic hepatitis A be vaccinated prior to the child’s arrival in the U.S.
The policy statement can be found at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/09/21/peds.2011-1495
If you are interested in more details about why they came to this decision, go to http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/09/21/peds.2011-1495.full.pdf
A map showing which countries are in question may be found at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5507a1.htm#fig4.
Beyond Borders Conference 2011 Announced!
Our annual Beyond Borders Conference will be in our hometown of Austin, TX, on October 29 & 30, 2011! We are thrilled to bring this wealth of adoption expertise and knowledge to the heart of Texas! All adoptive families, regardless of where they are in the process, are invited to come and attend sessions that will cover topics such as international adoption, re-adoption, bonding and attachment, medical issues related to adoption, multicultural families and financing adoptions. Learn straight from leading adoption experts, adoption medical professionals, orphanage directors, and representatives from foreign countries. Our keynote speakers will be Craig Juntunen and Dr. Todd Ochs, both prominent figures in the international adoption sphere.
Please visit our BBC website for more information and to register!
Posted 3/25/11
Ethiopia's MOWA Reduces Adoptions to Five Cases Per Day - Joint Council's Petition to the Prime Minister
Effective today, the Ethiopian Ministry of Women's Affairs has implemented a reduction in the number of cases that are reviewed daily to a maximum of five. The U.S. Department of State, Office of Children's Issues has released the following Adoption Alert regarding Ethiopia. The Adoption Alert can also be found on their website at http://adoption.state.gov/news/ethiopia_alert.html.
Citing the need to work on quality and focus on more important strategic issues, the Government of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) will reduce to a maximum of five the number of adoption cases it processes per day, effective March 10, 2011. Under Ethiopian adoption procedures, MOWCYA approves every match between prospective adoptive parents and an Ethiopian child before that case can be forwarded for a court hearing. The U.S. Embassy is working with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to learn more about this change in procedures. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.
Given MOWCYA's current caseload, the U.S. Embassy anticipates that this change could result in an overall decline in case processing of some 90 percent. If this change is implemented as proposed, we expect, that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays. It is not clear if this change in procedures would have any significant impact on cases in which MOWCYA has already approved matches.
Many of you are asking, "What can I do to help?" There is an Emergency Campaign for Ethiopia with a petition to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, where you can show your continued support for Ethiopian adoption and urge for a reconsideration of this plan, so that Ethiopian children can continue to come home to forever families. The petition can be accessed at betheanswerforchildren.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/emergency-campaign-for-ethiopia.
Posted 3/10/11
January/February CAN Newsletter posted!
Read our Great Wall/Children of All Nations monthly newsletter for in-depth information on our adoption programs and family stories! Click here to see our January/February 2011 issue!
Posted 2/14/11
Chinese New Year Celebration at the Houston Chinese Consulate
On February 12, Great Wall families were invited by the Chinese Consulate in Houston to attend their Chinese New Year celebration! The children enjoyed a gift exchange, Chinese crafts, and cultural performances, and many of the performers were our own Great Wall children!
We thank the Chinese Consulate and Madame Gao for inviting us, and we hope to celebrate with them again for the next lunar new year! Click here to view more photos!
Posted 2/18/11
January/February CAN Newsletter posted!
Read our Great Wall/Children of All Nations monthly newsletter for in-depth information on our adoption programs and family stories! Click here to see our January/February 2011 issue!
Posted 2/14/11
New DRC Adoption Program!
Children of All Nations is thrilled to announce the launch of our newest adoption program in the Democratic Republic of Congo!
After months of preparation & traveling to visit the children in DRC orphanages and to coordinate a strong, trustworthy DRC team, we invite you to find out more about Congolese kids waiting for their forever families.
For more info about adopting from DRC, please click here, call, or e-mail us. We are standing by, ready to assist you with your adoption journey!
Posted 1/10/11
New Uganda Adoption Program!
Children of All Nations is thrilled to announce the launch of our newest adoption program in Uganda!
After months of preparation & traveling to visit the children in Ugandan orphanages and to coordinate a strong, trustworthy Uganda team, we invite you to find out more about Ugandan kids waiting for their forever families.
For more info about adopting from Uganda, please click here, call, or e-mail us. We are standing by, ready to assist you with your adoption journey!
Posted 11/19/10
ICAN China Waiting Child Seminar is Set!
Our Waiting Child team has begun hosting special, in-person Waiting Child Seminars this year, and our next FREE China Waiting Child Seminar, focused on China's waiting child adoption process, will be taking place in Austin, TX! Please click on the logo below for details.
Posted 11/10/10
ICAN's YC Library of Love Completed!
The Institute for Children of All Nations (ICAN) is proud to announce that the YC's Library of Love has been completed. Through the hard work of staff and generous donations, we've been able to build YC's new orphanage library. Visit ICAN's project section for photos of the new library and how you can help, with further resources.
ICAN Launches Advocacy Project for Adoption Medicine
The Institute for Children of All Nations (ICAN) is excited to have begun their first advocacy project. The project will focus on advocating for The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to require adoption medicine in residency and continuing medical education courses. Pediatricians are well-trained in pediatric medicine, but few have been trained on the issues specific to internationally adopted children. As international adoptions increase, so should the knowledge about the adoption world and adoption medicine. ICAN will have more updates on their progress on the ICAN site. Please take a moment to read about this project and sign our petition to help make a difference in the medical care these Waiting Children receive.
New Latvia Waiting Children Added!!
We are thrilled to announce that the Latvia government has made more children available for international adoption! If you are called to adopt, we encourage you to learn more about these children to see if your child is waiting for you! To access to our entire agency list, please register online. Remember, there is no cost to register, and you may discover the perfect addition to your family! Also, our ICAN File Review Referral Program gives our families access to physicians who are experts in the field of adoption medicine, who have screened thousands of medical reports.
New Philippines Waiting Children Added!!
We are thrilled to announce that the Philippines government has made more children available for international adoption! If you are called to adopt, we encourage you to learn more about these children to see if your child is waiting for you! To access to our entire agency list, please register online. Remember, there is no cost to register, and you may discover the perfect addition to your family! Our new ICAN File Review Referral Program gives our families access to physicians who are experts in the field of adoption medicine, who have screened thousands of medical reports.
CAN Launches the Institute for Children of All Nations (ICAN)!
The Institute for Children of All Nations (ICAN) has officially launched, connecting adoption and special needs related resources, education, services and research to waiting children around the world. ICAN strongly believes that children with special needs are the most vulnerable, and the mission is to advocate for and find homes for these waiting children.
ICAN is part of Great Wall China Adoption/Children of All Nations, a leader in international adoption for over 14 years. Among the 8,000 adoptions facilitated to date, over 600 of these have been waiting children. ICAN also works in collaboration with the Child and Family Center for Innovative Research, University of Houston. >> More
Haiti Still Needs our Help!
We want to give huge thanks to all of you who so generously donated to our Haiti Fund! With the funds we raised, our partner orphanage was able to continue rebuilding the security wall, digging a well and repairing damage to buildings. The ultimate goal is to secure property outside of Port au Prince where the orphanage can become more self-sufficient and provide greater security for the children.
We are continuing to do all we can to help Haiti rebuild. If you would like to help relief efforts, we invite you to donate today! Please be sure to denote "Haiti Relief" in the "In Honor of" field. >> More
2010 Beyond Borders International Adoption
We are excited to announce that our annual adoption conference will be held Saturday, September 25 – Sunday, September 26 in San Antonio, TX at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk Hotel. Previously known as the “East Meets West” conference, this annual conference was renamed to “Beyond Borders” in order to better reflect the adoption and humanitarian aid needs of the more than 140 million orphans worldwide. This year’s conference will place special emphasis on Waiting Child Programs which focus on older and special needs children waiting to be adopted.
Beyond Borders is the only conference of its kind bringing together adoption leaders and families from all over the United States and world. This conference will aim to inspire, educate and generate awareness for international adoption advocates so that we can all continue impacting positive change in the adoption industry. Bonded through our passion of helping children, together we can continue making a difference worldwide for orphans in need of families. >> More
CAN Continues to Lead the Way in Haiti
As you know, Children of All Nations (CAN) resumed our Haiti adoption program in March. During a visit from the director of our orphanage in Port-au-Prince, we learned of the Haitian Adoption Authority's approval to resume adoptions, and we were among the first agencies to break this exciting news.
Today, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Department announced it will resume processing adoptions from Haiti. According to the release, “intercountry adoption cases involving Haitian orphans will again be processed through normal procedures. The government of Haiti has already begun accepting new documents for adoption cases and the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince has resumed regular processing.”
CAN is very pleased to be at the forefront of this important progress, and we look forward to helping families answer the call of Haiti’s children in need.
We are now accepting Latvia Applications!
Children of All Nations (CAN) is proud to announce the launch of our Latvia adoption program! This is a wonderful opportunity for single women and married couples to adopt children with no known special needs (9 years and older), sibling groups of three or more (all ages), and children with special needs (all ages).
We are accepting applications now! Please be sure your family meets all requirements before you apply. To review the requirements, please visit http://www.childrenofallnations.com/latvia-adoption-requirements. If your family is ready to be considered, please access our Agency Application here: http://www.childrenofallnations.com/apply. We will work as quickly as possible to process your application.
To learn more about our Latvia program, including adoption processes and costs, please visit http://www.childrenofallnations.com/latvia.
For a complete CAN Outreach Guide packet, including a Sample Service Agreement, please visit http://www.childrenofallnations.com/outr.
We look forward to working with your family!
NEW Hague Online Courses Available!!!
Prospective adoptive parents currently in an international adoption process through a Hague Convention country must complete 10 total hours of parent education. Great Wall’s Online Hague Parent Education Courses provide an easy and comprehensive training program on all required topics and meet the guidelines of the Hague Adoption Convention.
To better serve our families, we have added two new courses to our online course catalog: "The Waiting Child" and "Adopting the Older Child." <More>
Trend Watchers Look to GWCA for China Adoption News
China adoption is a very hot topic these days, and the media have turned to Great Wall China Adoption to learn about the trends that are impacting families who want to adopt. More and more, these families are looking to China’s Waiting Child Program as the means to welcome home the child they long for. Snow Wu, President/CEO of Great Wall China Adoption sat with David Crary of the Associate Press to shed some light on this program. To learn more about Waiting Children and the climate of China adoption, please read this article.
China Insight Magazine also turned to us to highlight issues in China adoption. Please find the China Insight article here.
Children of All Nations is Expanding to Latvia!
Children of All Nations (CAN) is proud to announce that it is expanding to include an adoption program in Latvia! Beginning in April of 2010, CAN will offer child placing services for American families in the U.S. and abroad who wish to welcome a Latvian child into their homes. This is a wonderful opportunity for single women and married couples to adopt children with no known special needs 9 years and older, sibling groups of three or more (all ages), and children with special needs (all ages).
CAN’s Latvia program is the newest addition to its Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mexico, Philippines and Haiti adoption programs. We draw on over 14 years of experience in placing children and initiating charity programs focused on child welfare.
Program details are coming soon!
Adoption Federal Tax Credit has Increased!
The adoption community received great news this week with the signing of the new Health Care Bill! The Federal Tax Credit available to adoptive families has been increased from $12,150 to $13,170. While the Tax Credit has not become permanent, it has been extended to December of 2011. For the first time, families are also eligible for an IRS refund for documented adoption expenses. We are so pleased that the US government is taking action to allow more families to follow their call to adopt a child in need. <More>
Haiti Adoption Moves Forward!
We received a visit from the director of our partner orphanage who shared wonderful news! The central adoption authority in Haiti is now accepting applications allowing families who feel called to adopt from Haiti to move forward. <More>
CAN has received another referral from Rwanda!
Children of All Nations (CAN) is thrilled to announce that we have received our first referral for a little girl from Ethiopia in less than three months! We are very impressed with the quick pace of international adoption from Ethiopia, and we look forward to matching more families with the beautiful children who are waiting for their forever families. To learn more about our program to see if it is a good fit for your family, please click here.
It’s Not Too Late to Take a Deduction on Your 2009 Taxes!
The IRS has recently announced that taxpayers who itemize deductions on their 2009 return can still qualify for a deduction by donating to Haiti earthquake relief efforts! A monetary donation must be made between January 11 and March 1, 2010 to qualify.
Children of All Nations is still accepting donations to support the orphanage we work with in Port-au-Prince. On January 26, the orphanage accepted 40 new orphans into their care. Donations to purchase food, fuel, medications, and clean water will be crucial to helping rebuild the orphanage and properly care for all of the children.
Donations in any amount can be sent to our headquarters or made online at http://www.gwca.org/donate/general-donation/donate.php. Please note in the “in honor of” field that your donation is intended for earthquake relief.
Children of All Nations Haiti Adoption Update
Children of All Nations (CAN) continues to monitor the situation in Haiti and will provide adoption updates as they become available. While we cannot yet predict when new applications for adoption will be processed, our drive to help the children of Haiti remains strong.
There is some good news this week from the orphanage that we partner with in Port-au-Prince. 79 of the children who were already in the adoption process have arrived in the United States and are being united with their adoptive families. We are lucky to work with such a dedicated staff in Haiti. They plan to rebuild as soon as possible and have already accepted 30 new orphans into their care.
CAN is still accepting donations for the orphanage to meet the immediate needs of the children and staff in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and to help with rebuilding. The most effective donations at this time are monetary donations to purchase food, fuel, medications, and clean water. Donations can be sent to our headquarters or made online at http://www.gwca.org/donate/general-donation/donate.php. Please note on the credit card authorization form that your donation is intended for earthquake relief.
U.S. Department of State Update on Haiti Adoption
As Secretary of State Clinton said on January 20, “Children are especially vulnerable in any disaster, especially those without parents or other guardians to look after them. This devastating earthquake has left many in need of assistance, and their welfare is of paramount concern as we move forward with our rescue and relief efforts.”
Together with the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department is processing and evacuating as quickly as possible those orphans who were identified for adoption by American citizens before the earthquake. <More>
First Referral for a Girl from Ethiopia Received Earlier than Expected!
Children of All Nations (CAN) is thrilled to announce that we have received our first referral for a little girl from Ethiopia in less than three months! We are very impressed with the quick pace of international adoption from Ethiopia, and we look forward to matching more families with the beautiful children who are waiting for their forever families. To learn more about our program to see if it is a good fit for your family, please click here.
Children of All Nations Accepting Donations For Haiti Earthquake Relief
Children of All Nations is currently accepting donations to support relief efforts at our orphanage (crèche) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The crèche will be in need of great physical assistance in the coming days and is expected to become a place where birth families, staff and neighbors seek humanitarian aid and comfort. The most effective donations at this time will be monetary donations to purchase food, fuel, medications and clean water. <More>
From Rwanda -- It's a girl!!
In less than four months from the date of dossier registration, a Children of All Nations (CAN) family has received a referral from Rwanda! We could not be happier for the family. With families matched with children from Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Philippines, we are excited to keep this momentum going!! At this pace, families can complete adoptions in a fraction of the time. If you are interested in getting started, submit your CAN application today!
GWCA Lauches New Charity Mission
Great Wall China Adoption (GWCA) is launching a new charity mission for 2010 to assist orphanage directors in submitting the paperwork of children waiting for adoption and hopefully speeding up the referral process by doing so! <More>
Children of All Nations Adds Haiti Adoption Program
Children of All Nations (CAN) is proud to announce that it is expanding to include adoptions from Haiti! Beginning in 2010, CAN will place children of all ages with adoptive families in the U.S. <More>
We are now accepting applications for the Philippines!
Children of All Nations (CAN) is excited to announce that we are officially accepting applications for our Philippines adoption program. The wait is over and CAN adoption consultants are ready to help you complete your family through adoption from the Philippines! <More>
Ethiopia referral received in less than two months!
In less than two months from the date of dossier registration, a Children of All Nations (CAN) family has received a referral from Ethiopia! We are very excited to share this news with our families, especially those who are concerned about the current wait time for international adoption around the world. CAN’s new programs are going strong at a very quick pace. Families can now complete their international adoption in a fraction of the time!
